I don't know under US law, but under German law, a stolen bass' legal title can never be validly transferred no matter how many middle men there are, there is no bona fide acquisition of title, once stolen (= void title) it is contaminated forever, even if ten men in a row are bona fide and had no idea. But stolen means stolen (embezzlement works too), fraud (= only voidable title) does not suffice (if the purchaser is bona fide) because the defrauded relinquishes possession voluntarily (even though based on deception). The involuntary relinquishment of possession is the key ingredient why legal title cannot be transferred with something stolen.